As pedestrians braved the brisk fall weather while walking down Clark Street on Thursday afternoon, many stared intently at the chalkboard menu in front of Hummingbird Kitchen, a food truck parked at the Chicago Avenue intersection, some pausing to tell Hummingbird staff, “I’ll be back!”
Hummingbird Kitchen became Evanston’s first mobile food vending truck Nov. 9 and has since piqued the curiosity of Northwestern and Evanston communities alike.
Joe Bozdech, a first-year School of Continuing Studies student, stopped by Hummingbird Kitchen to enjoy a bowl of black bean soup on his way to the University Library on Thursday.
“Obviously, the whole street food thing is blowing up right now,” Bozdech said as he took sips of soup. “It’s cool that it’s in Evanston.”
Bozdech said he first read about Hummingbird Kitchen in the A.V. Club and happened to stumble upon it.
“It’s like a scavenger hunt,” Bozdech said. “It adds a little bit of fun to the whole experience.”
Hummingbird Kitchen began as a collaboration between Heather Behm, Stephen Schwartz and Vince DiBattista, who also partnered at Union Pizzeria, 1245 Chicago Ave., and Campagnola Restaurant, 815 Chicago Ave. Branching out into a mobile food truck is the trio’s latest way of investing in the Evanston community, Behm said.
“It’s a fun challenge,” Behm said. “It’s something new and exciting, and we liked that it was unique to the area. We wanted to be the first ones.”
While Chicago lawmakers are still deadlocked over a mobile food vendor ordinance, Evanston’s City Council passed an ordinance in September allowing food vendors such as Hummingbird Kitchen to cook and sell food from a vehicle.
“For us to get it done before Chicago reflects well for Evanston,” Behm said.
Hummingbird Kitchen often parks near Chicago Avenue and Clark Street, a spot that draws people from downtown Evanston and NU’s campus, while enthusiastic customers keep tabs on the truck by following it via Twitter, Facebook or e-mail, Behm said.
“It’s really fun watching the way social media drives this business,” she said.
Hummingbird Kitchen’s ability to cook dishes made-to-order gives it an advantage over other businesses when catering private events and film sets, said DiBattista, who also serves as the truck’s chef. The customized truck contains two stoves with six burners each, a 36-inch flat-top grill, a fryer with two baskets, a steam table and three refrigerating units in order to cater events, DiBattista said.
While DiBattista also serves as the chef at Union Pizzeria and Campagnola , which provides a base for Hummingbird Kitchen, he said customers should not expect the mobile food truck to have the same menu as the restaurants.
“It’s my food, but it’s just going to be different food,” DiBattista said.
Thursday’s menu included short rib stew and an Italian grinder, and the food truck regularly offers Italian fries and short rib tacos.
Bret Johnson, associate director for NU’s transportation center, and Kendra Morrill stopped by Hummingbird Kitchen on Thursday for a quick lunch because they enjoyed the food truck’s short rib tacos so much. The food truck provides a quick way to spend time together, the two Evanston residents said.
“It’s a restaurant in a truck,” Morrill said.
